Workouts:  Monday: 3 Day Rotation kickboxing (20 min) Wednesday: 3 Day Rotation weightlifting (15 min) Thursday: Swim 750 yards Total swimming: 750 yards Average daily steps: 7,754 I keep getting to the end of the week and realizing how little formal exercise I've done. Without running and an easy just-step-out-the-door option, it takes both more planning and more motivation to get something in. I am doing better about some walking, though, and hitting my minimum of 7,000 steps (almost) every day. My weekends have either been crazy busy or horribly lazy. Between sleeping in ..read more

Linking up today with Mar, Cynthia, and Courtney for Friday Five. While I'm not doing any racing or running currently, I'm starting to think about what I might do for my comeback next summer, and reminiscing about my favorite races that I've done. 1. Portland Marathon (2013 and 2015). I can't imagine doing the work of training for and running a marathon without it being this one. It's well organized, not too hard of a course (relatively speaking, that is), great swag, and shows off the beautiful city!  2. First Run 5k (2013, 2014, 2015). The fact that this tak ..read more

Feeling pretty much the same, just getting bigger. Some aches and pains, especially after sitting pretty much all day at work, but really any symptoms are still fairly mild. But seriously, getting huge.  Weeks 7, 16, 24, 32 Month 1. Month 2. Month 3. Month 4. Month 5. Month 6. Official weeks: 29 - 32 Milestones:  Took and passed the glucose test. Therefore continuing to eat plenty of ice cream.  Picked out and met with a pediatrician. I was slightly concerned about the fact that we're going to raise our kid vegetarian (until they're old enough to co ..read more

Workouts:  Tuesday: Swim 1,000 yards Friday: Swim 1,000 yards + 3 Day Rotation weights (20 min) Total swimming: 2,000 yards Average daily steps: 7,549 Oh, wow, that wasn't a whole lot happening this week. My parents were visiting this weekend, which made it harder to fit in any actual workouts (though did a semi decent amount of walking). It's a little harder to think what I want/should be doing now that running isn't a default any more.  ..read more

I think I remember hearing something about this race in it's inaugural year last year, but it was back on my radar earlier this year and I decided I definitely needed to sign up for it this year, even realizing that I'd be 7 months pregnant. I wasn't clear on the exact details of the game aspect, but it sounded super fun! (So I was excited to host a guest post about it when they approached me more recently.) There was packet pick-up for the race earlier in the week, but it's the other side of the metro area so we just decided to do pick-up the morning of. After both Abe and I appare ..read more

Workouts:  Monday: Run/walk 1.6 miles (15:50 pace) Tuesday: Rest day Wednesday: 3 Day Rotation weights (20 min) Thursday: Rest day Friday: 3 Day Rotation kickboxing (20 min) Saturday: Unplanned rest day - unless assembling Ikea furniture counts? The baby's room is starting to resemble a nursery! Sunday: Oregon Trail Game 5k - 41:49 (13:29 pace), but I died of starvation.  Total running: 4.7 miles Average daily steps: 8,304 Running has gradually been getting more uncomfortable and less enjoyable, but I was registered for a 5k this week and knew I needed to do a litt ..read more

My most recent Toastmasters speech was a "demonstration talk". While the demonstration shouldn't be the entire thing or only source of information, the purpose was to work into your speech demonstrating a process or product, providing additional context with the demonstration. Having recently bought a new pair of running shoes and having to switch back to a brand I'd previously used after my current brand ceasing making the product lines that were fully minimalist (in my definition), the concept was in the front of my mind and I thought I'd explain the benefits of minimalist running shoes and ..read more

Workouts:  Monday: Run 2.1 miles (14:23 pace) Tuesday: Swim 1,000 yards  Wednesday: Rest day Thursday: 3 Day Rotation weights (20 min) Friday: Played half a round of disc golf Saturday: Rest day Sunday: Bike trainer 3.85 miles (11.5 mph, 52 rpm) Total swimming: 1,000 yards Total biking: 3.85 miles Total running: 2.1 miles Average daily steps: 8,389 We were in Astoria Thursday through Sunday morning, so there was also quite a bit walking, in town and nearby state parks.  ..read more

Linking up today with Mar, Cynthia, and Courtney for Friday Five. Although sometimes I think I have a strong stance on never buying something or participating in a trend, it's not that infrequent that I eventually get convinced. However, at the moment, these are the things I currently believe I won't cave on. 1. Sending phone alerts to a smart/fitness watch. For better or worse, technology makes us more connected than ever. And I'll admit to being far too tied to my phone for my own good, glancing up everytime it makes a noise while it sits on my desk or couch beside ..read more

Workouts:  Monday: Rest day Tuesday: Run 2.2 miles (14:09 pace) Wednesday: Rest day - massage Thursday: Run 2.0 miles (14:15 pace) Friday: Unplanned rest day - oops! Saturday: 3 Day Rotation - weights and kickboxing (20 min each) I've had a hard time convincing myself to do the NROLFW weights, in particular because I feel like I have to do 2 each week (not that I actually do, even once a week would be better than nothing), so if I don't do the first one early enough in the week, I just end up skipping it altogether. But I realized that this workout video I used to do (I've use ..read more